Dominica Holidays

Dominica Testimonials

Almost all of our clients let us have their feedback after they get back from their travels. Sometimes this is a detailed trip report or it can be just a few words. Whatever it is, we love to receive feedback, as it helps us to keep standards high and experiences perfect for future travellers. Over half of our bookings come from repeat clients or by word of mouth, a statistic we are very proud of. Here, you can find some of the reasons why.

Dominica is truly a beautiful island ! On this holiday we were able to fully appreciate the flora and fauna. A wonderful place to celebrate a birthday.

I would like to sincerely thank all of the team at Motmot for making my holiday in Dominica truly wonderful!!!!
My sister, Paula, celebrated her 42nd ..

I would like to sincerely thank all of the team at Motmot for making my holiday in Dominica truly wonderful!!!!
My sister, Paula, celebrated her 42nd birthday in Dominica and said it was the best birthday she ever had! On her birthday, the 15th of November, we were in Portsmouth at The Champs Hotel. The owner, Lise, informed one of her staff that it was Paula’s birthday, unbeknown to us. In the evening after dinner, Lise and the staff, one who baked Paula’s birthday cake, and another staff member sang happy birthday to her while presenting her with the cake!
Lise and her husband are such gracious and kind hosts. They are very welcoming, approachable and kind. Lise and her husband are a very conscientious couple who do a lot for the community and who are passionate about the environment and community.
In Fort Young, our Oceanfront room was spectacular!!! Considering that this is a hotel that was damaged by hurricane Maria last year, the rooms, food and services in general were fantastic. The staff were very approachable and lovely and so thoughtful ( they had welcomed us with a bottle of champagne for Paula’s birthday).
Our driver/guide, Jenner Robinson’s son, Oneal, is a lovely young man. He is very knowledgeable about the history of Dominica, the best local places to eat and advised appropriately about the excursions. He was approachable, patient, kind and very likeable.
The variety of excursions gave us a real insight into Dominica. We are half Dominican, owing to our mum, and have been to Dominica twice before, but we had never seen as much of Dominica as we did this time! Dominica is truly a beautiful island. On this holiday we were able to fully appreciate the flora and fauna.
The excursions gave us an opportunity to be active some days (e.g. the Syndicate Trail and Scotts Head) and also relax on others (e.g. the whale watching, champagne beach and sulphur springs). I think the range of activities and free time is important whilst on holiday. Whilst it is nice to explore, learn about the culture and interact with the community, it is also important to have time to treat, rejuvenate and reflect. I think the balance was just right.
The service I received from Motmot was very professional. I felt safe and knew I had booked via an agency that had high standards based on the communication I received, the holiday package and reassurance over the phone.
Once again, on behalf of my sister and I, I would like to thank all of the team at Motmot for the amazing holiday.

The Voluntourism package was a great way to experience Dominica

I had a great time in Antigua and Dominica. The travel plans went without incident – even down to the departure tax being prepaid! The Tamarind ..

I had a great time in Antigua and Dominica. The travel plans went without incident – even down to the departure tax being prepaid! The Tamarind Tree hotel was a lovely place to stay. Small, clean and personal, very helpful staff and great hosts in Stephan and Annette. The Voluntourism package was a great way to experience Dominica, meet the local people, and contribute to restoration after hurricane Maria. I am recommending the holiday package and also Motmot Travel to my friends who are looking for a different type of Caribbean holiday experience. Thank you for your help with organising the trip. Mike Haley – March 2018

Dominica is a very friendly island and I would recommend it to solo travellers

I had a wonderful time in Dominica – it is a very beautiful island – just my kind of destination – absolutely perfect – All th..

I had a wonderful time in Dominica – it is a very beautiful island – just my kind of destination – absolutely perfect – All the places you arranged for me to stay in worked well – Dr Birdy was definitely worth booking – I had a great time with him in Syndicate – didn’t see the Sisserou so I will have to go back !!

The Champs looked after me well – all the transfers worked well too –

Guava Cottage at Citrus Creek was ideal – they looked after my veggie needs in the restaurant & sold me some eggs & veg to prepare my own lunches – I did excursions with Asha the guide they use to Victoria Falls, Glassy Point, to Zion to meet Moses James, Sari Sari, Freshwater and Boeri Lakes, Trafalgar and Emerald Pools – he was great – very helpful –

I loved the setting at Crescent Moon too – Ron and Jean were very friendly & helpful – The food is very good – Ron is a good cook and caters well for vegetarians – if however you are a small eater like me you do end up with a fairly large food bill – you have to have the set 3 course dinner – I ended up paying US $254 incl 15%VAT for 5 dinners inc a glass of wine, one lunch, a packed lunch – and a few beers – I did tours for 2 days (Middleham Falls & Soufriere) with David their son-in-law who is very knowledgeable about the flora and fauna and very helpful – he spotted some of the birds I had missed at Syndicate –

There was a bit of a hiccup over the room booked at Cocoa Cottages – Iris did arrange a booking for a whale watching tour (didn’t see anything not even dolphins !! but it was a nice boat trip) and put me in contact with a driver to take me there and back and who I arranged tours with independently – he took me back up to Syndicate (still didn’t see the Sisserou) and the Kalinago territory –

When I didn’t have transport I walked – mainly from The Champs, Citrus Creek and Cocoa Cottages –

As you can see I covered a lot of the island and had a great time – it’s a very friendly island and I would recommend it to independent solo travellers –

Thank you all at MotMot for all the arranging – your side went very smoothly and efficiently – Janet Ludlow March 2017

Dominica is an incredible place with extremely friendly, welcoming people

We would just like to say that from the remit we gave you, you selected 4 very different, but appropriate, hotels, all of which we thoroughly enjoyed...

We would just like to say that from the remit we gave you, you selected 4 very different, but appropriate, hotels, all of which we thoroughly enjoyed. The tours were excellent, as were the guides.

There were many highlights on this trip, but perhaps the most memorable was the hike to Boiling Lake, with our fantastic guide Jeffrey Charles. The hike took us around 7 hours, including a lunch stop at the Boiling Lake itself. It was tough, but well worth the effort, walking through rain forest, elfin forest, the Valley of Desolation and then the Boiling Lake. If you are planning to do any reasonable hikes, make sure you have the right footwear. Heavy duty boots,such as you would wear in the UK, will protect your ankles and keep your feet dry, but do not have sufficient grip for these hikes. Far better to use lighter weight boots/shoes with sticky soles!

We feel that our holiday did benefit local people – Dominica relies heavily on tourism. All our hotels were small and locally owned, employing local people. We used local guides etc and bought items made by the Kalinago in the local area. In terms of reducing environmental impact, it is difficult to do this when you take a long haul flight to your destination, but we did take water bottles with us which we refilled and our hotels mostly provided food locally grown/obtained with minimal food miles. We hope that the site passes purchased to enter the National Parks went some way to supporting conservation in Dominica.

This was a fantastic holiday organised by Motmot travel. Dominica is an incredible place with extremely friendly, welcoming people. Despite nearly 2 weeks there, we feel we have barely scratched the surface of this beautiful island and would dearly like to return. Now we just need to save for our next trip!

People in Dominica were very friendly and helpful

Dominica
All three hoteliers/Guest house proprietors in Dominica were very friendly and helpful in many ways, including with transport.
More specifica..

Dominica
All three hoteliers/Guest house proprietors in Dominica were very friendly and helpful in many ways, including with transport.

More specifically:
The location at Calibishie Cove was very pleasant with some walking from the house. Ken went out of his way to be helpful. Whilst the food was relatively simple it was very enjoyable and excellently cooked.
The tour with Jenner was interesting and absorbing, so much so we possible did not leave enough time to see the falls that were listed.
The birdwatching with “Dr Birdy” went well considering that we were in the middle part of the day when the birds are less active and it rained quite a bit. We still were able to see several species previously unknown to us.

Cocoa Cottages This was a novel house and very individual. Iris was kind and helpful and despite being a vegetarian herself provided us with an interesting range of foods that were enjoyable. She also transported us to various interesting places, such as the nearby Trafalgar falls and the Botanical Gardens at Roseau with its magnificent trees and a live cricket match, as well as on to our next stay. The whale watching was a good way to see the coast from the sea and whilst we saw no whales we were entertained by the many Dolphins that played around the bows of the boat.

Beau Rive was in many ways the top of the list for all round quality. Mark Steele was a kind impressive person and nothing was too much trouble for him (except that he could not bring himself to stop apologising for anything, even if it was not his responsibility). Some of the food was of particular merit, especially the pastry. He took us to the airport and when our departure flight with LIAT was delayed he transported us to a good restaurant and arranged for them to get us transported back to the airport in time for the new flight time (which in turn was cancelled!!!).

Antigua
After the relatively quiet rural ambience of Dominica (disturbed mainly by the sound of the sea braking on the rocks) English Harbour was more purposeful but a beautiful historic location. The Admiral’s Inn was like a more agreeable American hotel in its operating style, especially the over polite responses of the staff such as “Thank you – You’re welcome” repeated every time, and the high prices. It was a good place from which to explore on foot, which we did despite losing a day from our stay due to LIAT!

General
The overall impression of the holiday was good. We thought that the bird watching everywhere was a little disappointing compared with T&T or Costa Rica. Also, houses with cats tended to have fewer birds in the gardens.

Dominica for the countryside Grenada for the gardens

We had a wonderful time in Dominica & Grenada. On balance I think we preferred Dominica for the countryside but the gardens we visited in Grenada ..

We had a wonderful time in Dominica & Grenada. On balance I think we preferred Dominica for the countryside but the gardens we visited in Grenada were a highlight of the trip too. Everyone we met was cheerful, polite & helpful.

Ken & his staff at Calibishie Cove couldn’t have been more welcoming. The guest house is comfortable, quiet & in a lovely location. We ate there & the food was simple but very good. It was most entertaining watching Ken’s builders put up the new gazebo in the garden! I’m sure that it will enhance an already lovely place. Ken himself took us to the village, the Red Rocks, Pointe Baptiste etc. That was really kind of him.

We didn’t see any whales or dolphins on our whale watching trip! Apparently that was unusual though I know that other clients have had the same experience. I think that should perhaps be mentioned? I know that wildlife won’t perform on request but it’s quite an expensive trip if there’s a reasonable chance of not seeing anything.

Beau Rive & Mark were delightful. Again, we were made very welcome. I loved our room with the double doors opening on to the veranda & the view across the gardens & to the sea. It really felt like staying in someone’s home. Good food again.

I’d recommend the book “Black & White Sands” by Elma Napier. Set in the 1930s when the family moved to Pointe Baptiste, it’s so interesting & gives another perspective on the island, independence etc.

The transfer between Dominica & Grenada was a pain. I have sent a complaint to Liat but to date have heard nothing. Basically due to them deciding to make an unscheduled detour to St Kitts we missed our connecting flight from Barbados to Grenada & had to spend 7 hours in the airport waiting for the next flight. Effectively we lost half a day’s holiday (plus of course the half day we spent in the hotel in Antigua). Anecdotally, Liat are notorious for fight changes, delays, losing luggage etc, hardly selling points. However I think it would be fair to clients to suggest they go with an open mind about when they may arrive (or not) at their destination!

La Sagesse was lovely. We stayed in the main house & our room was large & comfortable. It was great being right by the beach. Again, good food.

The garden visits were terrific. It was so nice to be shown around by the owners & to talk about the plants & so on. We were made so welcome.

We joined another 2 visitors on a birdwatching trip with Jerry (Anthony Jeremiah). Caroline had booked him separately from the UK & invited us to join them. Again, thoroughly enjoyable.

Petite Anse was great too. Bigger than the other guest houses but still very quiet. I loved our chalet & the view.

I’d say that unless you want to walk a lot, then you need to be willing to pay for taxis to get around. We were told that driving is ok & the roads are relatively quiet but tend to be narrow, unlit, twisty & not in great condition. We used taxis/tours during the day as necessary & chose to eat in the hotels.

Fascinating to visit such very different islands

Thank you – we did enjoy our holiday very much. It was fascinating to visit such very different islands and be based away from the main centres of..

Thank you – we did enjoy our holiday very much. It was fascinating to visit such very different islands and be based away from the main centres of tourist accommodation. It was perfect starting our holiday with the Catamaran Hotel in Antigua, with English Harbour close by to explore. We enjoyed all the islands but our stay on Dominica at the Beau Rive was particularly special – accommodation, food and welcome were all first class.

It would be impossible for everything to be 100% perfect so in order to help future travellers it might be helpful to mention a couple of minor things, although they didn’t spoil a brilliant holiday:

Day trip to Montserrat: We had the same taxi driver, Colin, throughout our stay, who was brilliant and picked us up promptly from the Catamaran Hotel to take us to St John’s. When we arrived at the pier at St John’s there wasn’t anybody to meet us and Colin, who rang the office, didn’t have any further information. We are used to being independent and sorted out our emigration/immigration paperwork whilst we were waiting, but it was unsettling. We may have just been unlucky but I thought I should mention it. We were met off the boat at Montserrat and enjoyed our tour of the island, which was fascinating.

Fox Grove Inn: We enjoyed our stay – the hotel is in a beautiful position with a fantastic swimming pool and we were made very welcome.

Thanks to everybody at Motmot Travel for organising our holiday as everything worked very smoothly with the international travel, internal travel, transfers and hotels.

I cannot recommend this holiday too highly

This is a well thought out package with a wide and varied range of activities and trips. Our local guides were all superb: attentive, humorous, kn..

This is a well thought out package with a wide and varied range of activities and trips. Our local guides were all superb: attentive, humorous, knowledgeable and keen to impart their love of this beautiful island. The accommodation at each of the three places we stayed in was intimate and comfortable, each in a different way, and the food was delicious. I cannot recommend this holiday too highly as a way to enjoy and get to know Dominica. We think it is far preferable to hiring a car, which is stressful and even dangerous. Dominica is a safe place, but tourists who had attempted to do their own thing by hiking to remote waterfalls, for instance, had got lost and even injured themselves badly. None of this applies to Mot Mot’s inclusive package.

We thought we had died and gone to heaven!

We had a really wonderful holiday and want to thank you all for doing such a fabulous job of organising it for us!
We absolutely LOVED Dominica! Alici..

We had a really wonderful holiday and want to thank you all for doing such a fabulous job of organising it for us!

We absolutely LOVED Dominica! Alicia & Rick at Pagua Bay could not have done more for us and the cabanas, food and tours were excellent.

Cocoa cottages were totally unique and dreamlike. The kids slept under the stars on the swinging beds and we adored the friendly mealtimes and delicious food. The boiling lake tour and canyoning were epic and all run by lovely laid-back knowledegable guides.

The only thing we wouldn’t recommend is the ferry to St Lucia as we were all horribly seasick (as were many of the passengers) almost all the way! It was such a shame as it is a beautiful journey via Martinique and we did see the most unbelievable humpback whale close up which made the misery a bit more worthwhile!! I guess I’d just suggest warning future travellers about this.

Anse Chastanet was a stunning spot to unwind and make the most of the beach and sea. The staff were mostly wonderful although some of the waitresses could be a little surly until we chatted to them a bit. The beach, housekeeping and reception staff were warm and thoughtful and highly attentive. The food was excellent although very expensive.

We were blown away on the last two nights when they very kindly upgraded us to Jade Mountain resort where we had two pool spa rooms. We thought we had died and gone to heaven and are still pinching ourselves!!

Needless to say returning home has not been easy but we have wonderful memories and I’m sure would like to book again with you next year after two special trips.

Some very good excursions

We were very pleased with our trip to Dominica and that all the arrangements worked out really well.
We stayed at Picard Beach, Cocoa Cottage and Beau..

We were very pleased with our trip to Dominica and that all the arrangements worked out really well.

We stayed at Picard Beach, Cocoa Cottage and Beau Rive.

Our cottage at Picard Beach was perfectly situated by the sea with wonderful views. The staff were really kind, helpful and friendly. There was one noisy afternoon when American students from the university next door were celebrating the end of exams. But the staff warned us of this and helped by telling students to keep the noise down. The food at the restaurant was fine but there wasn’t much choice for vegetarians.

Cocoa Cottage was also very nice. However, I should say that this is not ideal accommodation for anyone with mobility problems. To reach our bathroom, we had to go down 4 steps which had no guard rail and the bottom step was uneven. This was a worry when getting up during the night. Fortunately, we had no accidents. All meals there are shared sitting round a big table with other guests. This could be fun or a bit of a strain depending who the other guests are! The food was excellent.

Beau Rive was the best place of the three and absolutely wonderful in every way.

We had some very good excursions. The whale-watching was outstanding with close views of a family of sperm whales that gathered round the boat and showed off to the passengers for two hours! The Indian River trip was also very good as was our day with Dr Birdy. We thought we would get a guided walk round Syndicate Forest but there was no guide there and the taxi driver was a quiet type who wasn’t able to tell us much. Luckily, Dr Birdy was able to show us the parrots the following day.

The trips from Cocoa Cottage were shorter and less exciting though we did enjoy Papillote and the sulphur springs and made an additional trip down to Scott’s Head.

We had an excellent visit to the Kalinago territory and a wonderful walk over Horseback Ridge thanks to Mark’s recommendation (Mark the owner of Beau Rive).

Overall, we were very happy with the trip and would certainly recommend it to our friends. Thank you for all your help and advice in setting it up.

Dominica is an astonishingly beautiful country

We were delighted with our recent trip to Antigua and Dominica and wish we were still there. Thanks for putting it together for us. Everything you or..

We were delighted with our recent trip to Antigua and Dominica and wish we were still there. Thanks for putting it together for us. Everything you organised worked like a treat.

On Antigua we stayed at the Catamaran Hotel. It was in a delightful spot, on a beach close to a historic harbour. The room was comfortable, though the equipment in it could benefit from some upgrading (especially the bathroom).

Dominica is an astonishingly beautiful country and you arranged for us to see much of it. Calibishie Cove gave us well equipped, stylish accommodation in a stunning spot. The food was particularly notable – Caribbean cuisine of the highest order. The trips went as planned and gave us an insight into the rivers, the flora and the history of that part of the island. No-one can control the weather. The morning of our trip to Chaudiere Pool had been more than usually wet and this meant that we could not reach the walkway by vehicle so we had a long walk along a precipitous and muddy path. Fortunately Spanish visitors with a 4X4 rescued us!

The grounds of Papilotte were a pure delight and we were introduced to them by an enthusiastic naturalist – Marcel Flore. We enjoyed bathing in the hot pools and being massaged by fast-flowing streams. Our visits to sulphur springs and boiling mud pools were as expected – a peek into the frighteningly active heart of the earth. The meals were good and the rooms were well kept.

We could not fault Beau Rive. It gave us some days of gracious living with a host who could not do enough to entertain us and to share witty tales about life on the island. It gave us an opportunity to discover more of the culture of some of the early inhabitants of the island.

Many thanks for giving us a memorable holiday. If we return to the Caribbean, which we are likely to do, we would certainly use MotMot again.

GET IN TOUCH

Whether you would like to spend your time experiencing new cultures and environments, bird watching, relaxing on a beach or trying something a little more adventurous, we can use our expert first-hand knowledge and passion for this region to design an itinerary that is perfect for you.

If you could just let us have a little information, such as when you are thinking of travelling, the number of travellers, if you have a budget in mind, and also if you have any special interests. We will then send you an itinerary and quotation for you to consider without any obligation, based on the availability for your preferred dates and with your needs in mind. However, if you would like to chat with a member of the team about your holiday plans first, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01327 359622.

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